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Recently, I appeared for the Databricks Generative AI Associate Certification, and the experience was both challenging and enlightening. If you're planning to take this exam, this guide will help you navigate the unexpected twists and prepare effectively.
Here's the first surprise: the official guide mentions 45 questions in 90 minutes. However, when I logged into my exam, I was greeted with 56 questions to complete in the same 90-minute window.
Let that sink in for a moment. Instead of having approximately 2 minutes per question as I'd planned, I suddenly had just 1.2 minutes per question. Initially, I thought the extra 11 questions might be feedback-related or experimental questions that wouldn't count toward my score. I was wrong—they were all actual exam questions.
Despite this surprise, I managed to complete the exam in 64 minutes and passed successfully. Here's how I did it, and more importantly, how you can too.
The questions ranged from medium to difficult in complexity. They weren't straightforward recall questions—they required genuine understanding and application of concepts.
The exam featured two main types of questions:
Code and Implementation-Based Questions (~40%): These required you to understand actual code snippets, identify correct implementations, and recognize best practices in real-world scenarios.
Conceptual and Tricky Questions (~60%): These were designed to test your deep understanding of Gen AI concepts, not just surface-level knowledge. They often presented scenarios where multiple answers seemed correct, but only one was truly optimal.
The moment I realized there were 56 questions instead of 45, I had a choice: panic or pivot.
I chose calm.
The first and most important thing you need is to keep your mind calm and away from distractions. Time pressure can make you second-guess yourself, rush through questions, or miss critical details. Your mental state during the exam is just as important as your preparation before it.
Take a deep breath. Trust your preparation. Remember that you can't control the exam format, but you can control your response to it.
Here's the second trick I used that proved invaluable: strategic marking for review.
The Databricks exam doesn't allow you to skip questions—you can only navigate to the next question after attempting the previous one. However, you can mark questions for review and return to them later.
My approach was simple:
If I was 80% confident or more → answer and move on
If I was uncertain → mark for review and move forward
This strategy prevented me from wasting precious time on questions where I was unsure. Instead of sitting there for 3-4 minutes trying to force an answer, I maintained momentum and optimized my cognitive energy for questions where I felt confident.
By the end of my first pass through the exam, I had marked several questions for review. With time remaining, I returned to these with a fresh perspective and was able to answer them more confidently.
Now, let's talk about how I prepared for this certification—because preparation is what ultimately determines your success.
I started with all the FILT (Free Instructor-Led Training) courses provided by Databricks. Since my organization is an academy partner of Databricks, I had free access to these comprehensive courses.
These courses are excellent for building conceptual clarity. They cover:
Generative AI fundamentals
LLM architectures and capabilities
Databricks-specific implementations
Best practices for Gen AI applications
RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) patterns
Model evaluation and monitoring
Don't skip these courses. They form the foundation of everything else.
After completing each video in the FILT courses, I made handwritten notes.
I know what you're thinking—handwritten notes in 2024? Isn't that outdated?
Here's my theory: I have strong muscle memory. When I write something by hand, it lasts longer in my brain. The physical act of writing engages different neural pathways than typing or just watching videos.
This technique significantly improved my retention and recall during the exam. When I encountered a question, I could visualize my notes and remember the concepts more clearly.
Video lectures make you thorough with concepts, but application-based questions make you well-versed with them. This is where practice tests become crucial.
I initially searched the internet for free practice questions. I visited several websites like ExamTopics, Dumpbase, CertLibrary, and ITExams. While these sites were helpful, they only showed a maximum of 15 questions for free, with the rest locked behind paywalls.
So I invested in two Udemy courses that proved to be game-changers:
Course 1: 3 practice test sets with 45, 46, and 47 questions each
Link: https://www.udemy.com/course/databricks-generative-ai-engineer-associate-practice-exam/
Course 2: 6 practice tests with 45 questions each
Link: https://www.udemy.com/course/databricks-certified-generative-ai-engineer-associate-practice-sets/
Important note: Most of the questions in my actual exam were remarkably similar to those in the first Udemy course (the one with 3 practice sets). I cannot stress this enough—practice that course thoroughly. The question patterns, difficulty level, and even specific scenarios matched very closely to the real exam.
These practice tests helped me:
Understand the exam question format
Identify my weak areas
Build time management skills
Get comfortable with code-based questions
Develop confidence through repetition
Based on my exam experience, here are the critical topics you should focus on:
Questions about where filtering should be implemented—at inference tables or during model building. Understand the performance implications and best practices for each approach.
You'll encounter questions with actual code snippets. You need to identify:
Correct syntax for prompt templates
Proper LLM model initialization
Best practices for prompt engineering in code
Variable handling and formatting
Example question type: "Which of the following code snippets correctly implements a prompt template with variables?"
Scenario-based questions about choosing the right model quality for specific use cases. For example: "If you're transferring SQL variants from one database to another, what quality characteristics should your model prioritize?"
Understanding how Gen AI models handle database migrations, SQL dialect translations, and maintaining query integrity across different database systems.
Questions on Retrieval-Augmented Generation patterns, vector databases, embedding strategies, and context window optimization.
Understanding inference tables, logging, monitoring, and debugging Gen AI applications in production.
Let me walk you through the actual exam process so you're not caught off guard.
Create an account if you don't have one
Search for "Databricks Generative AI Associate"
Book your certification exam slot
Log in 15 minutes early. This is crucial because there's a setup process:
Lock Down Browser: You'll be prompted to download and open the Lock Down Browser OEM (Online Exam Manager)
Biometric Verification: The system will require you to:
Take a photo of yourself
Take a photo of your government ID
Record audio for voice verification
Show your workspace via camera
System Check: The browser will verify your environment meets requirements
Start Exam: Once all checks are complete, you'll be prompted to begin
The entire pre-exam process takes about 10-15 minutes, which is why logging in early is essential.
I completed the exam in 64 minutes out of the allotted 90 minutes and passed successfully.
The key to my success wasn't just knowledge—it was the combination of:
Solid conceptual foundation (FILT courses)
Active learning through handwritten notes
Extensive practice with realistic questions
Strategic time management during the exam
Mental calmness under pressure
If you're preparing for this certification, here's your step-by-step action plan:
Weeks 1-2: Foundation
Complete all Databricks FILT courses
Take handwritten notes after each video
Review notes daily
Weeks 3-4: Practice
Enroll in both Udemy practice courses
Complete all 9 practice tests
Review incorrect answers thoroughly
Identify weak areas and revisit FILT content
Week 5: Final Preparation
Retake practice tests you struggled with
Review your notes comprehensively
Practice time management (1.5 minutes per question)
Ensure your exam environment is ready
Exam Day:
Log in 15 minutes early
Complete biometric verification
Stay calm when you see the question count
Use the mark-for-review strategy
Trust your preparation
Free Resources:
Databricks FILT Courses (through academy partnership or free trials)
ExamTopics, CertLibrary, ITExams (limited free questions)
Paid Resources (Highly Recommended):
Udemy Course 1: https://www.udemy.com/course/databricks-generative-ai-engineer-associate-practice-exam/
Udemy Course 2: https://www.udemy.com/course/databricks-certified-generative-ai-engineer-associate-practice-sets/
Exam Platform:
WebAssessor: https://www.webassessor.com/wa.do?page=login
The Databricks Generative AI Associate Certification is challenging, but it's absolutely achievable with the right preparation strategy. Don't let the 56 questions intimidate you—with thorough practice and strategic time management, you'll have time to spare.
Remember: The exam tests not just your knowledge, but your ability to apply that knowledge under time pressure. Practice accordingly.
Good luck on your certification journey! If you have questions about specific topics or need clarification on any aspect of the preparation process, feel free to reach out.
Now go ace that exam!
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